ATBECHDEDKESFRGBGRITLILUNLSEMCPTIESILTLVFIROMKCYALTRBGCZEE....SK................JDIM350 (Ver 2.1 Jan 2001) 1990980/0 1620000/01303107EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATIONA320031217EP02022446.52002100420021004EnEnEn200130905220011004JP200135210020011116JP20031217200351200304162003167 7H 04L 29/12 A 7H 04L 29/06 B 7H 04L 12/18 BdeSystem zur multicast adresszuweisung und InformationsverteilungenSystem for multicast address allocation and information distributionfrSystème d'attribution d'addresse multidiffusion et de distribution des informations1NTT DoCoMo, Inc.03031180E 79590 EP (GS)11-1, Nagatacho 2-chome, Chiyoda-kuTokyo 100-6150JPWatanabe, Yugo, Intel. Prop. Dpt., NTT DoCoMo Inc.Sanno Park Tower, 11-1, Nagata-cho 2-chomeChiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-6150JPKikuta, Yoko, Intel. Prop. Dpt., NTT DoCoMo Inc.Sanno Park Tower, 11-1, Nagata-cho 2-chomeChiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-6150JPYabusaki, Masami Intel. Prop. Dpt., NTT DoCoMo IncSanno Park Tower, 11-1, Nagata-cho 2-chomeChiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-6150JPGROSSE BOCKHORNI SCHUMACHER00102031Patent- und Rechtsanwälte Forstenrieder Allee 5981476 MünchenDEATBEBGCHCYCZDEDKEEESFIFRGBGRIEITLILUMCNLPTSESKTRALLTLVMKROSI20031217200351

The present invention provides an information distribution apparatus capable of performing efficient information distribution.
The information distribution apparatus according to the present invention is an information distribution apparatus that performs multicast transmissions of information to a plurality of mobile terminals, this information being relayed by a plurality of base stations, and is constituted comprising a multicast address allocation apparatus. The multicast address allocation apparatus comprises a mobile terminal information database for storing location information on the mobile terminals, and user registration information, and extracts, from the mobile terminal information database, the mobile terminals which are the targets of the information distribution on the basis of the information stored in the mobile terminal information database and of designation information transmitted by the information supply terminal, to thereby allocate amulticast address. The information distribution apparatus then transmits a paging signal, which has the multicast address added thereto, to the areas in which the designated terminals thus extracted are located, and makes multicast transmissions to the mobile terminals which respond to the paging signal.